Woman accused of locking son in room in heat

KENANSVILLE — A Beulaville mother of a 5-year-old boy is accused by authorities of leaving her son locked in a non-air conditioned room for hours at their home.

The Daily News of Jacksonville reports (http://bit.ly/15Cvw8s) court documents show Laura Luciano Blas, 23, is charged with misdemeanor child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace said Blas told investigators that the boy was locked in the bedroom so his mother could go to a doctor's appointment and then to work at a fast food restaurant.

Wallace said the residence is in a mobile home park and a neighbor saw the boy standing at the window crying. The room he was secured in had no access to a bathroom and no air conditioning, he said.

Deputies from the sheriff's office received the call around 2 p.m., and Wallace said the child had been in the room for several hours; however, it is still unclear exactly how long. When the boy was discovered in the room last Wednesday, temperatures in the area were in the low 90s.

Blas is free on $10,000 bond, It's not known if she has an attorney. Her son is currently in foster care.